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Amira Vivrette

Campus Dining: More Options, Please!

April 17, 2018 by Amira Vivrette

Let’s be honest, Vanderbilt’s Campus Dining weekend hours are ridiculous.  This is my first year on Vanderbilt’s campus. I have spent many weekends complaining about dining hall hours with other students. There aren’t a lot of options when it comes to finding a good meal on weekends. Most dining options for students have unconventional hours or they don’t open at all. I have been let down many times due to these hours. Let me tell you, there is nothing more disappointing than walking to the Campus Store in Rand just to find out that it is closed! I strongly believe that the Vanderbilt’s Campus Dining hours fail to deliver to the needs of students during the weekends. It is time to extend the hours and satisfy the hunger of our student body.

 

First of all, a lot of students rely on their meal plans to get food. Freshman are fortunate to have twenty-one meals a week. However, these meals don’t matter when everything is closed. Students often miss their meal swipes because the meal periods and dining hours do not correspond. Say it’s Friday and I want to use my meal swipe on snacks at 4:00 PM in Rand. I can’t do that because the Campus Store closes at 3:00 PM. Then, all that I’m left with is Pi and Leaf. There are not enough places open for food.

 

In my experience, the markets are your best bet for meals on the weekend. But not just any market; just Common Grounds and Branscomb Market since they are the only markets open 24 hours. However, as a first-year student on the Commons, Branscomb Market is far away and not really an option for a sad, hungry freshman. I mean, who wants to trek a mile to get food? I just don’t have the energy.

 

I asked a few students from the class of 2021 what they thought about the weekend dining hours. A student named Seth voiced that “it’s so hard to find a good meal on the weekends, especially Sunday. If I want to eat breakfast I can’t get a hot meal before 10 A.M.” This is because the Commons dining hall does not open until 10 A.M. on Sundays. As someone who wakes up early, wanting to enjoy a beautiful morning with a full stomach, this is extremely inconvenient. If I want breakfast, I have to settle for a snack from Common Grounds because a hot breakfast is not even an option. The same student said, “A lot of upperclassmen may leave but most freshmen are stuck here. Where can freshman eat?” Since first-year students are not allowed to have cars on campus, we don’t have the luxury of driving to get food. We are stuck with quick fixes at the markets and trying to make it into the dining halls before they shut down.

 

Furthermore, Caroline, a first-year student at Vanderbilt, stated that a lot of students will wake up and use their lunch swipe “to get food at 11 AM.” But, “On Sunday, not everyone sleeps half the day away.” There are students who like to wake up early and can’t rely on the Commons for breakfast. If students don’t get a swipe at a market, they will most likely miss out on their breakfast swipe. So now I ask you, what’s the point in having twenty-one meal swipes if you can’t use them? If we are forced to use our swipes during designated times, then why can’t we have corresponding dining hall hours?

 

Don’t get me wrong, I realize that it may be difficult to keep dining halls open later. This will change the workday for campus dining employees. I know that no one wants to be away from their family until 1 in the morning and students can’t work those hours. However, we could change the closing time 6:00 PM instead of 2:00 PM. and 10:00 PM instead of 8:00 PM. And if changing the hours is too much to ask, let’s add more restaurants to the Taste of Nashville list. I’m tired of only being able to buy pizza during late nights. And there should be more options available for delivery. If not, we should add more options close to the Commons seeing that freshmen can’t drive. There are many restaurants located in Hillsboro, a quick walk from our dorms. Adding places like Urban Juicer or Taco Mamacita would give freshman more options for weekend dining. It is time to change our options and the hours of Campus Dining. Maybe one day I will be able to eat an early breakfast in the Commons on a Sunday.

Filed Under: Opinion Tagged With: campus dining

The Walking ‘Dore: Episode 5

April 10, 2018 by Amira Vivrette

This week on The Walking ‘Dore, Amira shares some highlights from the past few weeks on campus. Amira attended the March For Our Lives in Nashville, Cafe Con Leche, and the musical Little Shop of Horrors. Check it out!

Meet This Commodore

Name: Amira

Major: Medicine, Health, and Society

Minors: Sociology and Spanish

Advice: Be open to attending all types of events on campus!

Filed Under: Features Tagged With: The Walking Dore

Humans of the Commons: Karrie Raymond

March 26, 2018 by Amira Vivrette

Karrie Raymond is a Haitian-American freshman. She is from South Florida, where the population is very diverse and rich with culture. She is extremely passionate about helping people and building a more inclusive community. Stick around and read more about Karrie!

What is your major?

I am on the pre-med track, double majoring in Medicine, Health, and Society and Child Development with a minor in Women and Gender Studies.

I chose these majors because I want to do pediatric research and I feel like MHS and Child Development will provide me with the scaffolding to really do those things. Also, you can’t have children without women. But overall, I would like to enrich my understanding and I’m a feminist so I believe it is necessary to be more inclusive when it comes to women, especially women of color.

What are you involved in on campus?

I am involved with Rand Dining, Vanderbilt Students Volunteer for Science (VSVS), Caribbean Student Association, and myself because self-love is important!

What is your favorite class so far?

My favorite course has been Existential Philosophy with Professor Sandy Skene. It’s about existence and it has taught me so much about myself and my identity. It has helped me come to terms with my self-esteem and identity issues. My professor allowed us to have discussions with the reading and provided an open space for us to say anything.

We talk about such a wide range of perspectives. Professor Skene was never biased. She showed us several different viewpoints and I was not expecting her to branch out and show us black existentialists but she showed us that, too. I appreciated that she had an entire section devoted to teaching students about them.

What are your goals for the future?

My number one goal is to be on the show Survivor. In the future, I am striving to have my own talk show. My talk show is going to have sass like Wendy, but class like Oprah. Also, I hope to travel with NGO’s to do research and help women and children around the globe.

Filed Under: Features, Humans of The Commons

Humans of the Commons: Josh Bandopadhay

March 19, 2018 by Amira Vivrette

 

Josh Bandopadhay (2021), Major: Neuroscience, Hometown: Dallas, Texas

“I’m fascinated by the brain. Never have I come across something as intricate and complicated as this most integral organ in our body, and I’m eager to increase my understanding of the brain and its functions over the course of my time at Vanderbilt. Because of my interest in the brain, I’m majoring in Neuroscience. In my down time, I enjoy reading literature of different sorts, listening to various kinds of music, and playing sports, especially soccer and tennis. I look forward to my time at Vanderbilt, and I’m most excited about the people I’ll meet and the friendships I’ll form.”

Filed Under: Features, Humans of The Commons

The Walking ‘Dore: Episode 4

March 13, 2018 by Amira Vivrette

Check out the Spring Break Edition of The Walking ‘Dore! In this episode, Amira steps outside of Vanderbilt’s campus and shares some highlights from her spring break trip this year as a first-year student.

Filed Under: Video, Video Features

The Walking ‘Dore: Episode 3

February 27, 2018 by Amira Vivrette

In this episode of The Walking ‘Dore, Amira shares some clips from her weekend at Vanderbilt. Lots of events happen on campus, making sure that students are never bored!

During her weekend, Amira attended a photoshoot to celebrate the diversity in all who identify as Black and female in the Vanderbilt community. Then, she went to a Vanderbilt lacrosse game, spent time on Wyatt Lawn, and ate a delicious veggie burger melt at Grins Vegetarian Cafe!

Meet This Commodore

Name: Amira

Major: Medicine, Health, and Society

Minors: Sociology and Spanish

Advice: Don’t be afraid to try new things when you get to campus!

Filed Under: Video, Video Features

The Walking ‘Dore: Episode 2

February 20, 2018 by Amira Vivrette

In this episode of The Walking ‘Dore, Amira shows you her life outside of class at Vanderbilt!

Meet This Commodore

Name: Amira

Major: Medicine, Health, and Society

Minors: Sociology and Spanish

Advice: Bring a hammock for relaxing on the Commons!

Filed Under: Video, Video Features

The Walking ‘Dore Episode 1

February 6, 2018 by Amira Vivrette

In this episode of The Walking ‘Dore, Amira takes you around Vanderbilt’s campus with her. Get a first-year students perspective and see the real VU!

Meet This Commodore

Name: Amira

Major: Medicine, Health, and Society

Minor: Sociology and Spanish

Advice: Don’t take classes before 9 A.M.!

Filed Under: Video, Video Features

Why I March Photo Series

January 23, 2018 by Amira Vivrette

On January 20, 2018, over 15,000 men and women crowded the streets of downtown Nashville for the city’s second annual Women’s March. The march began at Public Square Park and ended at Bicentennial Mall with an empowering rally. Amongst the crowd were several Vanderbilt University students, including yours truly. 

On a beautiful Saturday morning, a group of Vanderbilt Freshmen came together to attend the Women’s March 2.0 downtown. Initially, the group started with two girls and slowly grew. We came together to create signs and venture out of the infamous “vanderbubble”. As young women, many of us felt the urge to stand up for women’s rights and have our voices heard. With such a strong sense of community on the Vanderbilt Commons, all of us were able to join together and empower one another. 

Bus ride with other activists who cheered us on.

Our day began with a short bus ride to Public Square Park. As we loaded the bus, several other activists on the bus cheered for us. They were so proud to see young students fighting for a cause.

Crowded streets near Public Square Park.

When we arrived at the march, thousands of men and women lined the streets. Everyone gathered to hear speakers perform poetry, music, and speeches that empowered the community. 

I saw signs supporting almost every cause including the impeachment of President Donald Trump, immigrant rights, LGBTQ rights, civil rights, disability rights, and health care access. Many people carried signs with statements like “women’s rights are human rights” and “anything you can do, I can do bleeding”.

So, why do we march?

Amira Vivrette

“Maya Angelou once said, ‘Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.’ I stand up for all women’s rights and I march for all oppressed women who cannot use their voice.” – Amira Vivrette

 

Karrie Raymond

“The march was an amazing experience. I am glad that I was able to share that experience with so many individuals of different ages and backgrounds. It was a beautiful showcase of our intersectionality and our diversity that I was happy to embrace.” – Karrie Raymond

 

Nnenna Nwaezeapu

“I created my sign because the feminist movement has always been geared towards white feminists. During the suffrage movement, Susan B. Anthony was racist. From then on, the movement has been about white women. The issues and problems that minority women and white women face are vastly different. I believe it is important to recognize the intersectionality that should lie within the feminist movement.” – Nnenna Nwaezeapu

Maeva Makendi 

“It was an opportunity for me to take a stance on something I strongly believe in and be surrounded by like-minded women.” – Maeva Makendi

Filed Under: Features

Which Nashville Restaurant Should You Eat At?

January 16, 2018 by Amira Vivrette

Filed Under: Features

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